Local author’s success ‘Written in the Stars’

About four years ago Maricopa’s newest author, Jayme Ardente-Silliman, was sitting on her couch, watching her daughters and enjoying at their excitement whenever one of the Jonas Brothers appeared on the television. Their smiling faces were the catalyst and inspiration for her book “Written in the Stars.”

“It was my way of letting them know no matter what their dreams are, they’re theirs to live, and to never stop chasing them,” said Ardente-Silliman.

The first-time novelist, her husband and three children came to Maricopa almost seven years ago. “We moved out here when Bashas’ was the only grocery store and loved watching our town grow over the years,” she said.

Having finished her first draft of “Written in the Stars,” Ardente-Silliman passed it on to family members who surprised her with their encouragement. Still, she had no idea how to get her book published, so she joined WritersMarket.com, and with help she was headed in the right direction. The actual publishing process began almost two years after the first draft was written and continued until late 2010.

“Written in the Stars” was officially released on Feb. 1 of this year. “Writing this book and having it published is a dream come true for me,” Ardente-Silliman said.

She crafts a story that has people of all ages believing that fairy tales are real and dreams can come true. It accompanies Sophie Walters from adolescence to adulthood, letting her believe in happy endings and being free to dream again.

Ardente-Silliman will be doing book signings in June at Barnes and Noble in the Chandler Mall and at Superstition Springs Mall in Mesa. She has been doing writing workshops with students in the Queen Creek schools this week, and she recently did a workshop at Legacy Traditional School in Maricopa.

“I’m hoping I can help inspire some of our future writers,” Ardente-Silliman explained. “The most important thing is getting them to believe in themselves.”

The Maricopa author’s second book will be a follow up to “Written in the Stars” called “To the Moon and Back.” “It is currently still in the works, as well as a whole new series I’m hoping everyone will love,” she said.

“The first step is always the scariest, but it’s the ones that follow that make it all worth it.” (“Written in the Stars”)

To place orders for the book, contact: Tate Publishing and Enterprises Publishers, Inc. To arrange a book signing or interview, contact Jeanine Salo at 480-200-7164 or [email protected]. To learn more about Maricopa’s newest author, go to jaymeardentesilliman.tateauthor.com.